The Republican journal., 1887-08-04
Gov. Bodwell Speaks.

NOT POLITICAL. ONLY DESIRES TO DO HIS
DUTY AS HE UNDERSTANDS 1T. HIS VIEW
OF TIE EFFECT OF PROHIBITION.
A reporter of the Portland Evening EXPIRES,
met Governor Bodwcll in IIallowcIl last week
and the course of conversation turned upon
the temperance question and the comparative
condition of Maine with other States. Upon
this point the Governor said. 81 can speak
positively from my own observation and ex.
perience. OF course l am familiar with thi.
State and my business calls me into many other
States: 20 not hesitate to say that nowhere
that have been are the people so free from all
the evils incident to the liquor traffic as in this
State. am interested in granite quarries and
employ large numbers of men. WeeXperiencc
scarcely any Inconvenience with our help i'm.
mediatcly after payday. They are generally
on hand after payday as well as before.
have done business in other States where the
liquor traffic was not prohibited or in any way
suppressed. We had one quarry in Kccne, n.
H., several years ago, where we worked LARGE
number Of men. AT that time the l1uor
traffic was unsurpassed and it was not an u.l-
common thing after payday to find at least %
week; and many Of them had families and
would spend nearly their months wages for
rum before they returned to work. We also
are running quite Il large crew of men in
Indiana where liquor is sold freely. The same
difficulty occurs there as did in N. H., and |
cannot but notice the contrast between those
localities where liquor is sold freely and our
localities here in Maine where we suppress the
sale to great extent. We find the more we
enforce the law. the less trouble we have with
the men. Our men now. as a class. are heconl-
ing more independent; their families are better
clothed and schooled than ever before; general
~ they are saving up money for future wants,
much of which would be spent for rum, by
some of them, il it was readily obtaincd.'
Ihen Governor. you take no stock in the
reports circulated throughout the country that
there Is more liquor selling and drinking
throughout Maine than ever BEFORE"
''NOne whatever. | am constantly in re-
ceipt of letters from all over the Union askin.
if it is true that drunkenness exists in Maine
to an alarming extent. Any candid inquirer
can best satisfy himself. on this point, by visit
ing Maine and maxim" an investigation for him.
self No friend of Prohibition need fear the
most careful comparison with any license
Statc.''
''Thc charge has been male, Governor. that
the proceedings against Burns grew out of
political feeling"
That charge is entirely absurd. | do not
know MIR. Burns, never met him to my kliowI-
edge and did not know what his political Scnti-
ments were. My attention was called to him
by one of our workmen who, with some two
or three others, went to Augusta and bought IL
package of liquor inst before the 4tll of July.
Ihcy brought it home and divided it up and
became intoxicated from it. One of them had
a family or five or six children and was taken
home twice, intoxicated, by the city marshal
or his deputy. After investigating the matter.
l made up my mind that would test the u,cS-
tion whether liquor could he sold in the origi-
nal packages in defiance of any law our State
could make. Therefore proceeded at once to
look INTO the matter and, from the best nfor-
nation | could get, satisfied myself that the
Courts would not sustain the position MIR.
Burns had taken, and therefore l proceeded
against him and made the seizure.
'Do you intend to stop there and make no
further seiZureST'
10 that | wish to say, dill intend to pro-
cccd at once against all who were selling in the
original packages, but, on investigating. the
matter, find that after it has gotten up TO the
Superior Court. which will he in Sept, should
we have il decision in our favor, which l have
no doubtwe shall, undoubtedly Mr.. Burns will
appeal to the Supreme Court for Il decision of
the full bench of Judges of our State, and |
did not suppose that could be reached before
May, 'SS, which would give the liquor dealers
in original packages nearly Il years time to
carry on their traffic. But l have ascertaine,l
that special session of the Court can he had.
so that We can get decision from them
probably by Jan. next, and therefore l have
concluded to proceed with this case as rapidly
as possible and wait for the decision of the
Judges before advising any further seizures
If the decision is in our favor, which | am
confident it will be, steps will be taken through
out the state to stop the sale in original pack
ages. trusting to the further decision of the L.
). Court, where no doubt the ease will be
carried, and where l am confident that the
decision will not authorize the sale of ntoxi-
eating liquors in the State of Maine against the
laws which the people have enacted for
their protection"
"What has prompted you to the active steps
you have taken to secure the enforcement OF
the prohbitory law!'
"My official oath. The people of the State
have decided i'm favor of Suppressing the sale
of liquor and their Will should be respected
The laws which they have provided for the
purpose should be enforced as all laws should
be-, and all good citizens ought to favor this,
and from the letters have received from diff
erent parts of the State, l am satisfied they
do